Dine in a historic jail at The Old Jailhouse in Sanford, Florida

Last updated on June 4, 2026.

There’s almost nothing I enjoy more than high-quality food and elegant cocktails in a beautifully themed restaurant. So whenever I’m traveling, that’s exactly what I search for. So when I arrived at Sanford Airport in Florida last week, I did a quick search for local restaurants for lunch. Upon discovering that the historic downtown area of Sanford was filled with breweries, I knew where to go. But the best surprise? Finding The Old Jailhouse in Sanford, with multiple dining rooms situated in the cells of an old historic jail.

The History of The Old Jailhouse Kitchen & Spirits

As with any great business housed in a historic building, The Old Jailhouse has a brief history of the building on their website. And, to my surprise, it didn’t start as a jailhouse. Originally built in the 1890s, the building was originally used as a blacksmith and wagon shop. In the early 1900s it served as stables and a feed store.

It wasn’t until 1914 that the newly-established Seminole County acquired the building and converted it into their jail. It operated as such for 45 years. After that time the building had many more lives — as the health department, a dry cleaners, and even sat vacant.

The current owners purchased the property in 2017 and restored it to what it was like during its time as a jail.

The Old Jailhouse today

The jailhouse features some of the original architecture, including brick archways, jail bars on the windows, and the original door. If you want to see the original prison cell block door or prisoner ledger, they are on display nearby at the Museum of Seminole County History.

In addition to the main dining area in the “cell block”, there are several private dining rooms resembling jail cells. Barred sliding doors and signs indicating “visitation”, “solitary”, and “booking” separate the rooms. And yes, some of the spaces can even be rented out for private events. The barren brick walls of the historic prison blend with luxurious velvet chairs and chandeliers through the restaurant.

The Old Jailhouse Kitchen & Spirits Menu

Of course, atmosphere isn’t the only thing that matters when finding a place to eat. But luckily, the Old Jailhouse has a menu filled with signature cocktails and delicious meals. Upon a quick glance at the Google reviews, I noticed that many of them raved about the cocktails at the bar, so I knew I had to get one. I loved the variety in the seasonal cocktails, and I was very tempted by them. (Lance’s Mixtape features vodka, apricot, watermelon juice, and lemon juice.) The bartender, Levi, recommended Lance’s Mixtape since it’s only there for a limited time. But ultimately I went with their signature Old Fashioned for three reasons. One, it’s my favorite cocktail. Two, they make theirs with an actual sugar cube. And three, it’s smoked. Sold.

As for my meal, I had already seen a dish that I wanted in one of the reviews on Google. But when I got to the restaurant, I discovered that it was a seasonal offering that wasn’t currently available. No worries, because there were plenty of other great options. The menu was smaller than average in size, but very intentional in their offerings. Intrigued by the housemade gnocchi that was in the original dish I wanted, I ordered the chicken pot pie gnocchi. A large breast of grilled chicken filled the plate alongside a generous scoop of vegetables and gnocchi in a creamy sauce. It was simply incredible.

When you visit the Old Jailhouse, be sure to pay attention to the little details – because everything suits the atmosphere perfectly. Even in the bathroom. The toilet paper holder in the restroom was shaped like an old pistol. Just like what the guards probably had for protection…